Muftis of all Major Muslim Institutions and Denominations Delivered Fatwas AIUC Warns to Start a Mass Movement if the Decision is not Altered in 15 Days

Mumbai, 30 April: All India Ulama Council (AIUC) has called a press conference today at Mumbai's Marathi Patrakar Sang where religious scholars from all major Muslim schools - Deoband, Bareilly, Salafi and Shia denomination of Islam in India have addressed and expressed their serious concerns over ongoing corruptions in the Central Hajj Committee of India (CHCI). Mufties have said that for the last few years, there have been emerging numerous issues causing hardships to the pilgrims which have been regular concerns for all Muslims but this year there emerged a new issue that the Hajj Committee has decided to perform Qurbani on behalf of all the Indian Hajis in Makkah and will compulsorily charge them for the same unlike the previous years, which is unjustified, oppression and clear violation of Qur'anic injunctions, they said. For, Hajj is accounted of three kinds: (1) Hajj-e Ifrad (2) Hajj-e Tamattu and (3) Hajj-e Qiran, the pilgrims intending to perform Hajj-e Ifrad are completely exempted from offering Qurbani.

Moreover, in the rest two cases, the glorious Qur'an provides ease in the matter of Qurbani -- "... But he who lacks the means (to offer Qurbani) shall fast for three days during Hajj and for seven days when return..." (Surah Al-Baqara, 196). Thus the Hajj Committee of India cannot take away the ease guaranteed by the Qur'an and it cannot make Qurbani compulsory on those who are exempted from it.

Mufti Azizur Rahman Fatehpuri (Deoband school of thought), Mufti Salim Akhtar (Bareilly school of thought), Maul. Abdus Salam Salfi (Ahle Hadith school of thought) and Maul. Syed Ahmad Ali Abidi (Shia denomination ofIslam) have addressed the press conference and detailed about the issue from Qur'an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saws). They termed Hajj Committee's recent decision as 'anti Islamic and interference in the matter of Shariah'.

Maul. Mahmood Daryabadi, general secretary of the AIUC presented Fatwas from reputed Islamic institutions - Darul Uloom Deoband, Darul Uloom Ashrafia Mabarakpur, Ahle Hadith and Shai schools in this matter which have also given verdict against the Hajj Committee decision. The Fatwas read: 'Hajj Committee should only manage administrative affairs and must not interfere in the religious aspects of Hajj, its recent decision is completely against Islam and it has no locus or right to change anything in Islam. The decision to take compulsory Qurbani money from Hajis against their will is like putting a burden on one's head for which he is not responsible and this is not allowed in Islam.' In addition to Mufties from various schools, Mumbai based eminent scholars and AIUC members Maul. Mustaqin Ahsan Azmi, Maul. Syed Athar Ali, Maul. Zahir Abbas Rezvi, Maul. Burhanuddin Qasmi, Maul. Anis Ashrafi, Maul. Zainuddin Khan, Mr. Farid Shaikh and Mr. Abdul Hafiz Farooqui were also present in the press meet.

The scholars said that they have met Mr. Ataur Rahman, CEO Central Hajj Committee, in groups with memorandum more than once and also wrote to different State Hajj Committees with their concerns, stating the seriousness and religious implication of present order but, unfortunately, it seems Hajj Committee members are instead of helping Hajis, more interested to fetch money from the pilgrims Qurbani and un-attendant Hajj Forms.

The press statement reads, "All India Ulama Council (AIUC), having had all the Fatwas from the prestigious seats of Islamic learning and authentic opinions from all Muslim schools of thought and Islamic denominations against the Hajj Committee decision, resolves to urge the Central Hajj Committee of India to alter its decision on compulsory Qurbani within 15 days from today, else the AIUC will launch a nationwide mass movement against it".